Object locator



Oct. 31, 1950 E. B. FERRELL OBJECT LOCATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Sept. 16, 1945 l/VVE/VTOR E. B. FERRELL By 66 I M lllllllll MN NN K uu All H uu m2 ESE MM. Q\ u E ATTORNEY 0a. 31, 1950 E. B. FERRELL. ,79

OBJECT LOCATOR Original Filed Sept. 16, 1943 r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR E. B. FERRELL QWWM ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 31, 1950- OBJECT LOCATOR Enoch B. Ferrell, Chatham, N. J., assignor to Bell Telephone Laboratories, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of. New York Original application September 16, 1943, Serial No. 502,627, now Patent No. 2,423,829, dated July 15, 1947.

Divided and this application February 1, 1945, Serial No. 575,716

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to the determination of the range, azimuth and elevation of a fixed or moving object, and more particularly to arrangements in which electromagnetic waves are transmitted from an observing station to the object, the time of travel of the Waves to the object and return being observed together with the direc tion of propagation of the returned wave as indicated by a direction finding device.

An object of the invention is to facilitate rapid and continuous determination by a single unaided observer of the range, azimuth and elevation of an object while the object and the observer may be moving relatively to each other at a rapid rate.

A related object is to simplify the necessary equipment and procedure to a point which will enable the observer to make substantially simultaneous observations of the three above-mentioned coordinates of the object under observation.

A feature of the invention is the use of a single display device such as an oscilloscope to indicate simultaneously any deviation of the direction finding device from accurate pointing in the direction of the returned waves and at the same time to indicate any deviation of the range indicating system from the correct range of the object.

In accordance with the invention, the range, azimuth and elevation of the object are correctly indicated on separate scales or dials whenever the oscilloscope shows that the deviations have been rendered substantially nil.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 502,627, filed September 16, 1943, assigned to the same assignee as the present application which is now Patent No. 2,423,829, issued July 17, 1947.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a meas uring and indicating system in accordance'with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a diagram useful in explaining the electrical commutations employed in the system of Fig, 1;

Fig. 3 is representative of the pattern which may appear upon the screen of the oscilloscope when the correct values of the range, azimuth and elevation have not been determined; and

Fig. 4 is representative of the pattern appearing when the correct readings of these quantities are being exhibited on the respective scales or dials in the arrangement of Fig. 1. In the arrangement of Fig. 1 there are provided a transmitting antenna III for sending out electromagnetic waves, preferably of ultra-short or quasi-optical wavelengths, and a directionally selective receiving system I I for such waves, ca-. pable of being pointed in any desired direction. Range measuring equipment I2 is provided having a range scale l3 and the receiving equipment I I is provided with an azimuth dial I4 and an elevation dial I 5. The setting of the range measuring device I2 and the accompanying reading of the scale I3 may be adjusted by means of a knob I6. The azimuth and elevation angles of the receiving device II and the accompanying readings of scales associated with the dials I4 and. I5 may be controlled through suitable means, such as gearing, which may be provided with handles I6 and I1 respectively. Electrical responses from'the range measuring device I2 and the directional receiving equipment I I are transmitted through motor driven commutating means indicated generally at I8 to the deflection plates of a cathode ray oscilloscope I9.

During operation of the system of Fig. 1, a distinctive pattern or trace 2!] appears upon the screen 2| of the oscilloscope I9 to guide the operator to the correct settings of the scale I3 and dials I74 and I5 in a manner described more fully hereinafter.

The range measuring device I2 is preferably of the general type disclosed and claimed in the copending applications of E Bruce, Serial No. 499,211, filed August 19, 1943, now Patent No. 2,422,654 issued June 24, 1947,. and of G. Hecht, Serial No. 502,619, filed September 16, 1943, now Patent No. 2,422,655 issued June 24, 1947 and assigned to the assignee of the present application. The Bruce and Hecht systems are of the general type in which an electromagnetic wave is transmitted from the observing station to the object, the range of which is to be measured, and an echo wave returning from the object is employed to make a distinguishing mark in the pattern of an oscilloscope, the cathode ray .of which is meanwhile caused to sweep across the screen at a substantially constant time rate. In these systems, the oscilloscope screen is provided with a fixed index mark, preferably at the center of the screen. The starting point of the cathode ray in its sweep across the screen is made adjustable under the control of means coupled to the movable member of the range indicator so that the time required for the cathode ray to reach the fixed index mark may be varied. When the correct adjustment has been made, the cath- Ode ray reaches the fixed index mark simultanecorrect range is then shown by the range scale.

Rapidly recurring pulses, say 400 or more per second, are employed in making the range measurements so that the pattern will be persistent and the operator may adjust the movable member of the range indicator until the mark made on the oscilloscope pattern by the echo wave is coincident with the index mark. He may then read the correct range from the range scale. It will appear that in arrangements in accordance with the present invention, the fixed mark may be dispensed with.

Reference may be made to the cited applications of Bruce and Hecht fora detailed description of the range measuring device. Accordingly, only such details as will facilitate the description of the present invention are repeated herein. The range measuring device includes a pulsing circuit 22, the function of which i to control the emission of the transmitted pulse and the simultaneous start of the cathode ray sweep. To control the transmitted pulse, the pulsing circuit is connected to an oscillator 23 of suitable high frequency which is in turn connected to the transmitting antenna it. As directivity is not essential in the transmitter, the antenna It may be a simple dipole. To control the cathode ray sweep mechanism, the pulsing circuit 22 is connected to a start-stop circuit 24.

The timing of the sweep is under the control of a circuit of preferably substantially flxed resistance and fixed capacity comprising a, resistor 25, a potentiometer 2B and a condenser 21, the elements 25, 26 and 21 being serially con nected across the terminals of a source 29 of substantially constant electromotive force. A space discharge device 29 having a cathode 39, a grid 3|. and an anode 32 is connected with its cathode-anode circuit in parallel with the condenser 2'! to substantially short-circuit the condenser when the cathode-anode circuit is made conductive under the control of the grid 3|. The start-stop circuit, which is disclosed in detail in the above-cited Bruce application, controls a resistor 33 which is connected between the grid 3| and the cathode 39. Immediately prior to the operation of the pulsing circuit 22 to send out a pulse from, the antenna 19, the resistor 33 is carrying a biasing current supplied by the start-stop circuit Esito render the grid 3| positive and thereby hold the tube 29 in the conductive state. Accordingly, there is substantially no potential diflerence between the plates of the condenser 2'! and the various points along the potentiometer are at graduated potentials due to the flow of current from the source 28 through the tube 29. The potential at the point of contact attached to the knob IS on the movable arm of the potentiometer 25 depends upon the position of the movable arm. This potential is impressed upon a deflection amplifier 34 by means of a lead 35. The cathode side of the condenser 21 is connected to the opposite terminal of the deflection amplifier 34 through a lead 39. At the instant of sending out the transmitted pulse, the start-stop circuit 24 reverses the biasing current through the resistor 33, rendering the tube 29 non-conductive. Immediately the current from the source 28 is diverted to charge the condenser 21 and accord ingly thereafter all points along the potentiometer begin an exponential rise in potential,

the early part of which rise is substantially linear, as is well known. The rising potential of the movable point of the potentiometer, and hence the lead 35 acts through the deflection amplifier 34 to sweep the cathode ray across the screen of the oscilloscope. After a suflicient time interval to'accommodate the return wave from the most distant point to be measured, the start-stop circuit 24 again reverses the polarizing current in the resistor 33 and renders the tube 29 conductive. The condenser 2'! discharges rapidly through the tube 29 thereby restoring the system to the condition described as holding before the transmitted pulse was emitted. Upon the restoration of the timing circuit, the pulsing circuit acts to initiate another transmitted pulse and the process may be repeated at a rapid rate.

The receiving device may comprise a pair of double lobe directive receiving arrays 31 and 38, each of which may be of any suitable type as for example the structure disclosed in United States Patent 2,002,181, issued May 21, 1935, to W. Ilberg. Instead of connecting the array to a transmitter as in the patent, the array is connected to a receiver. The array 3'! is arranged with its axis vertical and is directionally selective with respect to the azimuth of a received wave. The array 38 is arranged with its axis horizontal and is directionally selective as to elevation. The array 31 comprises dipole antenna pairs 43, 44 and 41, 48, mounted parallel to but somewhat displaced from the focal line of a parabolic cylindrical reflector 39. The array 38 comprises dipole pairs 4|, 42 and 45, 46 similarly disposed with respect to a reflector 4D. The assembled array 3'! is suitably attached to the azimuth dial I4 which has a graduated scale of angles at its periphery and may be driven by gearing 5! attached to the handle IS. The scale of the dial I4 may be read with reference to a fixed pointer 52. The assembled array 38 is suitably attached to the elevation dial I5, also graduated, and driven by gearing 53 attached to the handle IT. The scale of the dial |5 may be read against a fixed pointer 54.

The commutating system l8 comprises two commutators 55 and 55 rotatable synchronously by means of a motor 57. The commutator 55 comprises a, central conductive portion which is integral with a conductive quadrant 6| to which contact is continually made during revolution by means of a brush 62. About the periphery of the commutator 55 are symmetrically arranged four contactors H, 13, 15 and F7 which are connected respectively to the receiving dipole elements 4|, 43, 45 and-41. The remaining receiving dipole elements 42, 44, 46 and 48 are connected to ground at 89. The brush 62 connects through a lead 8! to a radio receiver 82.

The commutator 56 comprises four conductive segments insulated from each other and connected to individual slip rings I99. Symmetrically arranged around the periphery of the commutator 59 are four contactors 9|, 92, 93 and 94, The contactors 92 and 94 are connected to the respective output terminals of the deflection amplifier 34 and the contactors 9| and 93 are connected to the output terminals of the radio receiver 82. A source 95 of biasing potential is connected in series with the contactor 9|.

Fig. 2 illustrates the commutating scheme in a simplified form. The curves H and H5 represent the response characteristics or lobes for the receiving dipoles 4|, 42 and 45, 46 respectively,

corresponding to the lobes I and 3 of Fig. 1 of the Ilberg' patent. The lobes H3 and II! are for the dipole pairs 43, 44 and 41, 48 respectively. The lobes H3 and II! are represented on the top surface of an imaginary cube with the lobes III and I I5 on a vertical face of the cube in order to indicate that the lobes I I3 and I I1 pertain to the azimuth and the lobes III, M5 to the elevation. In the commutating position shown in Fig. 2,

. which corresponds in this respect with Fig. 1, the

lobe I I is represented as being connected'in circuitthrough a conventionalized connection I25. At the same time the pulsing terminals 9| and 93 are shown connected to the upper and lower plates 96 and 98 respectively, while the sweep circuit terminals 92 and 94 are connected to the plates 91 and 99 respectively.

- The function of the commutating arrangement is to connect the four receiving dipoles in rotation to the radio receiver and at the same time to vary the connections from the deflection amplifier and from the radio receiver to the deflecting plates of the oscilloscope in a proper cyclic manner to roduce a distinctive pattern on the screen 2| by which the operator may be guided in properly setting the various dials. The plate 96 when positively charged with respect to the plate 98 acts to deflect the cathode ray upward in the diagram of Fig. l. The plate 91 when positively charged :with respect to the plate 99 deflects the cathode ray to the right. Similarly, the plate 98 when positively charged with respect to the plate 96 produces a downward deflection and plate 99 when positively charged with respect to plate 91 deflects the cathode ray to the left. With the commutators in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the receiving dipole 4|, 42 has its element 4| connected through the contactor I I, brush 62 and lead 8| to the ungrounded side of the radio receiver 82. At the same time the biasing source 95 has its positive terminal connected through the contactor 9! to the deflecting plate 96, thereby causing the cathode ray to trace a horizontal line |0| near the top of the screen 2| in the oscilloscope I9, as-shown in Fig. 1. While the commutators are in the position shown, a plurality of pulses are sent out from the transmitting antenna I0 and received on the receiving dipole 4|, 42. As long as the range of the object is not changing too rapidly, the receiving pulses will make a mark such as I02 which may be directed downward by proper adjustment of the radio receiver 82 so that the output of the radio receiver will oppose the potential of the source 95, it being assumedthat the radio receiver develops a rectified or unidirectional output potential. If the range scale I3 were reading the proper range of the object under observation, the mark I02 would appear at the center of the trace IOI but in general the first adjustment is not correct and the mark I02 is displaced to one side or the other. The opposing potential from the radio receiver 82 acts through the contactor 93 upon the lower plate 98. The sweep potentials from the output of the deflection amplifier 34 are impressed by way of the contactors 92 and 94 upon the deflection plates 91 and 99 respectively, to produce the horizontal sweep from the left to right along the line IOI. The starting point of the sweep being dependent upon the setting of the range dial, the line IIlI may not be complete.

Assume now that the range remains substantially unchanged and the commutators are advanced a quarter of a revolution in the direction of revolution indicated by the arrow on the motor.

The input of .the radio receiver '82 is then con- I nected to the receiving dipole element 43 through the contactor I3. At the same time the biasing source 95 is transferred to the plate 91, the other terminal of'the receiver output being connected to the plate 99. The deflection amplifier is then connected between plates 96 and to produce a downward sweep along the line I03. The mark of the echo pulse will now appear at I04, in the same position with respect to the center of the sweep I03 as the mark I02 occupies with respect to the center of the sweep IOI, but the length of the mark I04 will depend upon the intensity of the wave received by the dipole pair 43, 44. In the case illustrated the mark I04 is longer than the mark- I02, indicating a stronger pulse from the dipole 43, 44 than was received from the dipole 4|, 42. In general, the mark I04 will differ in length from the mark I02.

Assuming the commutators to be advanced another quadrant, the dipole element 45 is then connected to the radio receiver 82 and the biasing source is connected to the plate 98. The other commutations are made accordingly with the result that the trace is a horizontal line I05 near the bottom of the screen and the mark of therecho pulse appears at I06. Provided that the direction to :t-he-obj ect has not changed appreciably between the'making of the'mark I02 and the making of the mark I06, it is evidentthat with the sort of receiver response to be expectedfrom the structure described in the above-cited patentto Ilberg, the length of the pulse I05 will be complementary to that of the pulse I02. As shown in Fig. 1, the mark I02 is longer than the mark I06 indicating that the dipole element 4| is receiving a greater intensity than the element 45 which is interpreted to mean that the antenna array 38 is incorrectly. set and that the array should be rotated in the proper direction to equalize the intensity re-- ceived at the elements 4| and 45. In the example shown, a clockwise rotation of the dial I5 is called for, taking into account that the dipole 4|, 42 has its maximum sensitivity in a downward direction; 1

Assuming the advance of "the commutator .by; another quadrant, the connections will be set up so as to trace the line I01 in the upward direction, closing the figure, the-mark I08 appearing above the center and being shown as smaller than the mark I04. Comparison of the marks I04 and I08 indicates that the dipole element 43 is receiving a greater intensity than the element 41 and consequently the dial I4 should be rotated counterclockwise to approach the correct azimuth reading.

The speed of the motor 51 is not critical but is preferably high enough to avoid noticeable flicker in the oscilloscope pattern. A motor speed of 1800 revolutions per minute is readily available and provides for displayin the pattern thirty times per second. I

When the dials I4 and I5 have both been rotated to the correct positions, the marks I02. I04, I06 and I08 will be of equal length. If the range scale still reads incorrectly, however, the marks will all be displaced from the center points. The displacement is in the clockwise direction in the examples illustrated in Fig. 1. rotation of the marks is an indication that the range scale reads too large a range. ingly, the range scale reading should be reduced until the marks move around to their central positions. This condition is accentuated by the A clockwise Accord fact that the marks will all'point towards the center of the square. As the opposite marks will appear in alignment only when centered, alignment may be used to indicate the correct range reading. No'index mark is then needed on the screen of the oscilloscope.

To further facilitate attaining a symmetrical pattern in the oscilloscope, the potential of the biasing source 95 may be varied to make the marks I02, I04, I06 and I08 just meet at the tips. If desired, the bias may be made to equal average strength of the received pulse at a given range. Then with a distant target the pattern would be small and as the target came closer the pattern would grow'to fill the screen. At this point the output volume of the radio receiver 82 could be controlled to keep the pattern a constant size for still closer ranges. The area of interest would always be in the very center of the screen. Accordingly, in some cases, a small cathode ray tube could be used with a magnifying glass for observing the pattern.

If it is desirable in any instance to employ directional selectivity in the transmitting antenna as well as in the receiving antenna an array like I! may be used in place of the dipole l0 and the lobes may be successively connected to the oscillator 23 by a commutator, like 55, which may be driven synchronously by the motor 51 so that when a given lobe is in use at the transmitter, the corresponding lobe is in use at the receiver. Alternately, the array Il may be used for transmitting and receivin by employing known methods of duplex operation.

Fig. 3 shows a front view of the pattern 20 the same as appears in perspective in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 shows the appearance of the typical pattern when the range, azimuth and elevation dials have all been correctly set.

It will be evident that the procedure in reading range, azimuth and elevation simultaneously is to adjust the dials I3, I4 and 15 until the symmetrical pattern of the type shown in Fig. 4 appears on the screen. The dial readings then show the correct values of range, azimuth and elevation respectively, as of the instant when the symmetrical pattern wasobserved.

What is claimed is:

1. An arrangement for determining the range, azimuth and elevation of an object, comprising a source of electromagnetic waves, repetitive means to transmit waves from said source to the object, a four-lobed directional receiving system for receiving echo waves from the object in response to the transmitted waves, means to adjust the direction of pointing of said directional receiving system both in azimuth and in elevation, a time sweep circuit having a pair of output terminals, a source of constant potential difference having a pair of output terminals, an oscilloscope having four deflecting plates opposed in pairs, means to connect the said sweep circuit output terminals solely to one of said pairs of opposed deflection plates, means to connect the said constant potential difierence output terminals solely to the sec- 0nd of said pairs of opposed deflection plates, commutating means asynchronous with respect tosa'id repetitive transmitting means for periodically transferring all of said four connections.

each to the next adjacent deflection plate without changing the order of the connection, said commutating means also selecting in rotation with the same periodicity echo potentials derived from each of the lobes of the said echo-receiving system and superposing said echo potentials upon said source of constant potential difference, and means coupled to said time sweep circuit for determining the range of the object, the appearance of the pattern displayed upon the oscillcscope serving as a guide for correctly setting both the pointing means and the range-determining means.

2. An arrangement for determining the range, azimuth and elevation of an object, comprising a source of electromagnetic waves, repetitive means to transmit waves from said source to the object, a four-lobed directional receiving system for receiving echo waves from the object in response to the transmitted Waves, means to adjust the direction of pointing of said directional receiving system both in azimuth and in elevation, an oscilloscope having four deflection plates opposed in pairs, a pair of sweep potential terminals, a source of biasing potential, a pair of control potential output terminals connected to said directional receiving system for'echo waves and to said source of biasing potential, commutating means asynchronous with reference to said repetitive transmitting means for connecting to each pair of deflecting plates in rotation the last-mentioned two pairs of potential terminals one after the other in one polarity followed by one after the other in reversed polarity, additional commutating means synchronous with said first commutating means for selecting in rotation echo potentials derived from each of the lobes of-the said echo-receiving system for transmission to said first mentioned commutation means, and means coupled to said source of sweep potentials to determine the range of the object, the appearance of the pattern displayed on the oscilloscope serving as a guide for correctly setting the pointing means and range determining means.

' ENOCI-I B. FERREIL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,262,033 Moseley Nov. 11, 1941 2,412,703 Wolff Dec. 1'7, 1946 2,419,205 Feldman Apr. 22, 1947 2,421,028 King May 27, 1947 2,423,104 Labin July 1, 1947 2,425,218 Hopgood Aug. 26, 1947 2,426,979 Ayres Sept. 9, 1947 2,427,905 Fyler Sept. 23, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 552,072 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1943 

